Why are Clubs So Expensive?

[Chicup]

Originally Posted by JustAskJulie

I'm going to bring this topic back up because I'm currently having it with my bf as we debate whether or not it's worthwhile to check out a new off-premise social in our area, where the cover for the first night (including the annual membership fee) is going to be $55. (BTW: The venue is a meeting room attached to a local hotel.) To us that is seeming like an awful lot to spend when we have no idea if we will have a good time or not. There are three major things affecting our decision.
1. I've been to another regular social held at this location previously and I don't care for the setup (small dance floor with too many tables crammed too close together so that you only end up talking to those that you are sitting near).
2. Some friends of ours attended this particular socials' first party last month where they ended up leaving after only an hour because the smoke was so bad (bad venting - we were at a regular smokey dance club with this same couple for hours without any issue - so it had to be pretty damn bad).
3. We could go to Nashville to an ON-premise club for only about $20 more.

Well if you met a lot of great couples it would be worth it, if you don't its a rip off. Problem is not knowing till ya get there.

Over all I think thats damn high.

[Tanman aka Mike and Marie]

Julie, If you don't like the club now don't go. It sounds like they are just out to make a buck by cramming in more tables than they should and a small dance floor.

We live in the Nashville area and you can either go to Menages (nice place, nice crowd, too smoky and too loud) or TSC (lots of single guys, sorry to judge but a lower class of people...not that we are snooty or stuck-up...thats just the way it is).

If you go to Atlanta 2Risque and Trapeeze ($125 first time we were there $75 door fee and $50 6mo membership and that was YEARS ago) are not cheap either but they are both very nice clubs. Club201 in Indiana is nice but not many people show up so the atmosphere is not there.

Find somewhere you like, make a treat for you and your BF, a nice sexy evening out. Pay the money enjoy yourself and just go a little less often.

Our two cents.......MikenMarie

[ShellyM]

I know with the swingers club we go to, Aphrodites in Austin, we think it is worth the money. Not because of playing necessarily, but we love the atmosphere. The people there are so open and friendly. I love looking on the dance floor and seeing ladies having fun and really letting loose of their inhibitions.......ones that normally would not do this at a vanilla club. I LOVE that! The sexual energy is so wonderful, to us its worth every penny.

[good times]

That seems pretty high to me, but I think we are a bit spoiled here. We have three clubs in Reno, all on-premise. Two of them are regular bars so you can buy your drinks there, they charge $10.00 to $40.00 per couple per night Depending on night of the week and type of party. The third club is BYOB, it is open Friday and Saturday nights and charges $30.00 per week per couple.

[JustAskJulie]

Originally Posted by Tanman aka Mike and Marie

We live in the Nashville area and you can either go to Menages (nice place, nice crowd, too smoky and too loud) or TSC (lots of single guys, sorry to judge but a lower class of people...not that we are snooty or stuck-up...thats just the way it is).

I've heard the same report from many others regarding both Menages and TSC. Comparing the prices of both of those to what we'd have to pay to go to either of these off-premise parties did make us decide not to go.

There's a 3rd off-premise party locally that we do go to that only charges $20 and IMO has a much better setup, it's actually held in a regular nightclub so it has a good dance floor, not crammed with tables and a great DJ (IMO), and quite often the food is beyond finger food/apps. It's not as crowded as these other two tend to be but personally I'd rather be able to move around and meet people than feel cramped in a smokey room.

As for the two we were debating. The new one that we skipped out on this weekend charges $30 for couples plus the $25 annual donation. The other held at the same location (that I have been to once previously but years ago), charges even more... but from what I've seen and heard it's basically the same crowd at both. My experience with off-premise clubs that I've attended in the past is that they may charge $20-$35/social but if they have a yearly membership fee you pay it on your first visit but your first social is free (basically cancelling each other out).

It's been a while since I really looked at pricing for socials so I'm glad to see that I didn't just miss a major price increase while I've been away. It's interesting seeing what everyone's clubs charge.

[northindycpl]

We don't attend a lot of socials around here, as there are good on-premise clubs, but from the ones that I have seen, they don't charge a membership fee at all, only a door fee, as they are basicially a group of people getting together at a rented location. (like hotel or bar) Which seems reasonable to me.

Out of curiosity, what does a membership fee entitle you to?

[JustAskJulie]

Originally Posted by northindycpl

We don't attend a lot of socials around here, as there are good on-premise clubs, but from the ones that I have seen, they don't charge a membership fee at all, only a door fee, as they are basicially a group of people getting together at a rented location. (like hotel or bar) Which seems reasonable to me.

Out of curiosity, what does a membership fee entitle you to?

That's a good question. I'm guessing it entitles you to be a member and come to the parties. The off-premise socials I've been to still run as private membership clubs (just like on-premise).

[Chicup]

I think as swinging is becoming slightly more 'main stream' a lot of yuppie swingers look at the old clubs and think, 'damn we could make a lot of money here'.

This has happened in the Chicago area with one club and it was kind of amusing. A couple not known for their friendliness and the husband was known for being very high on himself bought a long time swing club from the elderly owners. Well suddenly they became a very friendly and social couple and started to promote the club heavily. It was something of a blue collar club, but not a bad one, nice lay out prior, and we went for one of this couples LL takeovers. The crowd wasn't great in terms of who showed up from our perspective, but I don't blame the club owners for that, but we were social and enjoyed chatting even if we didn't play that night. Well since we weren't playing we left pretty early as was another couple. The owner/wife was blocking the doorway out talking to someone and another couple leaving said 'excuse me' to her to get past. She turns around and says 'you guys are leaving?' and they say yes, she says 'well you get to leave, I have to be back her again tomarrow night!' It was kind of sad, you could tell she didn't want to be there. Then we heard from friends that the club itself now had a pretty undesireable crowd (I won't go into details) on the normal days, and these were people who had been going to that club for a few years. Apparently the new owners were heavily promoting the club and didn't care who came as long as bodies paid the enterance fee.

I think we are going to see a lot of this if swinging does infact continue to rise in popularity. There is a lot of income in the swinging demographic, and income willing to pay a premium. Instead of swingers opening a club for friends and expanding to outsiders it will be clubs opened with a business plan based on maximizing profits. In the LONG run this could be a good thing, I'd love some high end clubs myself, swinging doesn't have to always be wondering how dirty the sheets are, but in the short run expect a lot of ripoffs.

[good times]

Originally Posted by northindycpl

Out of curiosity, what does a membership fee entitle you to?

I think the membership fee is mainly done for technical reasons. The way it was explained to me is that by requiring you to be a member they are considered a private members only club, which somehow makes what they do less open to legal problems. I don't really understand how this would work in reality, but that is the explaination I was given for membership.

The one club in Reno that requires you to be a member charges the regular door fee for the membership card the first time you come and then waves the door fee that night. So, the membership really doesn't cost any extra.

[JustAskJulie]

Originally Posted by good times

The one club in Reno that requires you to be a member charges the regular door fee for the membership card the first time you come and then waves the door fee that night. So, the membership really doesn't cost any extra.

That's how it's been done at most clubs I've dealt with as well.

[Amanda69]

ohn's right on the money... and that only covered an off-premise club.

Clubs in Ontario, Canada charge approximately $30 for a couple and slightly more for a single male if they allow them (only 2 clubs in the GTA do).

You have to become a member of the club, at least for the night in Canada to get around certain rules of behavior in public places. Most clubs here have onpremise parties in private spaces at hotels or condos, they usually charge anywhere from $50 - 75 for the night.

Most clubs have membership fees that get you reduced rates at the doors. Ours usually operate 1- 2 nights a week at most with a few exceptions.

They take the risk running the club and organizing the events so they should get something for it. Heck look at the prices for the conventions these days, now those are expensive.

[aahours1]

We are a club owner in Michigan, Bay City, and we know the owners of the two in FLINT also. One club has a donation fee of $35 and the other $40, we ourselves have a donation at the door of $40 and all of us do not have a membership fee. You just need to sign a WAIVER/DISCLAIMER of privacy though. These are off premise clubs held in private halls. And we do not allow single guys to come it. We tried one time, but found that he was very pushy and forward with the gals, I had to finally ask him to leave. Clubs around here DO NOT allow single guys to attend, unless invited by a couple(or sponsored). We did lower our entrance donation last year when the price of gas went up to over $3 a gallon to help out on the added cost for driving and attending. Something we can do to help those that attend.

[CTcouple923]

the club we go to in Hartford has a $ 65.00 a yr membership, no single guys allowed, and its 60 per cpl admission, which at first i thought was quite high , but the owners just bought the place from the old owner and are really putting a ton of money into making into a more modern and update place to have fun, so i guess if it means a nicer club for us members then i guess its a small price to pay

[LFM2]

Originally Posted by jandg

Well, the Vegas Red Rooster must be doing something right. They've been open 23 years, and have parties every single night.

Couples are $30 per night Monday through Saturday, $20 on Sunday.
There are also special deals for local couples (ID required).

Single Women are $10 per night Monday through Saturday, Free on Sunday.

Single Men are $40.00 per night Monday thru Thursday nights, $50.00 per night Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday nights are $30.00 or $20.00 for Active Military.

It's BYOB (water, ice, soda, etc, are provided), and food is only served on weekends. Canned music Monday through Wednesday, and a DJ Thursday through Sunday.

Our plan is to head there when we get to LV next!! I've heard wonderful things about the RR.

[jandg]

Originally Posted by LFM2

Our plan is to head there when we get to LV next!! I've heard wonderful things about the RR.

We're usually over by the pool table. Stop by and say